The invention relates to a securing arrangement for absorbing forces which are caused by knee impact on the front-passenger side of a motor car. These forces are introduced into an instrument panel, and the securing arrangement comprises two supporting parts which are arranged such that they are spaced apart laterally from one another and are positioned in front of a transverse carrier. The transverse carrier extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle and is fixed to the vehicle. The supporting parts are connected to the carrier. The transverse carrier is provided with the supporting parts running above points at which the knee of the occupant makes impact, and each supporting part is configured as a strut which has a profiled cross-section, which has a hook-shaped configuration facing the direction of impact and which moves rearwards in the event of impact loading, absorbing energy in the process.
An instrument panel which is supported in this manner on the front-passenger side is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,136. In this arrangement, each strut is supported near the point of impact on a part which is fixed to the vehicle, via a carrying part extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle, with the result that the carrying part is deformed in the event of impact, and forces the strut to undergo a predetermined deformation action, which is manifested by a distortion of the strut.
A further dashboard securing means can be obtained from FIG. 1 of the drawing and constitutes a prior art for which documentary evidence is not available. The two supporting parts are arranged at the level of impact and are positioned directly in front of the transverse carrier, which is connected, via carrying parts, to a further transverse carrier, running at a higher level and extending over the entire width of the vehicle, and, owing to their configuration, are not capable, in the event of impact loading, of noticeable deformation, absorbing energy in the process.
An object of the invention is to configure and support the securing arrangement such that, in the event of only a slight rearwards displacement of the supporting parts caused by impact, the supporting parts are capable of producing a high degree of energy absorption.
This object is achieved, in the case of a securing arrangement of the type referred to above by an arrangement wherein the supporting parts are configured and connected so they deform in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and also laterally with respect to one another.
It is already known, from German Patent Document DE 40 03 952 A1, to support a knee-cushioning means, arranged beneath a dashboard, via energy-absorbing retaining means, the latter being compressed. However, owing to the components, such as the air-channeling ducts, cable runs and the dashboard support framework, which are amassed behind the dashboard right in the knee-impact region, hardly any deformation path for bringing about the deformation procedure in the impact direction is available.
The proposal according to the invention remedies this above noted problem in that, in the event of a rearwards (forward in vehicle travel direction) displacement of the supporting parts caused by impact, the struts, owing to the configuration of the supporting parts, not only bulge out towards the rear, but also laterally, absorbing energy in the process. Depending on the position of the impact, the bulgings may be directed towards one another or away from one another. If impact takes place above the fastening point of the web of the supporting parts, then the struts, in addition to moving towards the rear, also move outwards, while in the event of impact beneath the fastening point, the struts move laterally towards one another.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.